Captain Piccard's Solar Impulse takes flight
By Vlad Savov 
posted December 4th 2009 5:41AM
posted December 4th 2009 5:41AM
posted December 4th 2009 5:41AM
A look back on popular stories from today in a specific year.
Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
Engage.
@(Unverified) Make it so.
Should've just called it the Enterprise
I have a funny feeling electric pylons and other objects higher than a meter in hight will cause an issue with this craft...
You must construct additional pylons.
@MercyFlush
Now we at least know why they banned minarets in Switzerland :P
This plane is boldly going where no solar panels have gone before.
The Piccards: Since 1931, boldly going where no one has gone before.
You have to give it to the Swiss.
While we are debating here many additional solders need to be sent to fight a stupid war, they are figuring out and investing in atom splitting (Large Hadron Collider) and solar cell driven airplanes.
We really need to review our priorities.
@jackleboul
Agreed!
@jackleboul
Yes, while we are debating health care, argung about soldiers, and measuring our societal wealth by consumer spending, the Swiss are building partcile accelerators, solar power planes, and banning minarets over a certain height. At least in America, you can build your minaret as high as you want. You can also do you own electrical work, unlike in Switzerland.
@jackleboul
sure would be tough fighting a war with solder.
@Dr Yusuf AlKindi
you failed to mention the wonderful mandatory military service.
@jackleboul the smoke of their flux filled the battlefield.
@Dr Yusuf AlKindi you misunderstood; we banned all minarets, not only the small ones.. but still, we do solar panel and split atoms! In America you can eat more different kind of burgers.. I guess.. and light beer.. uh.. don't get me started on light beer.. wuuaa
@Dr Yusuf AlKindi
I thought that was Finland?
@jackleboul
Luckily the Swiss don't get attacked on their homeland by a terrorist organization.
@jackleboul
Not to take anything away from the Swiss, but the NASA has been working with private companies such as AeroVironment, AstroFlight, etc, on this stuff for quite a while, and have had quite a few similar planes since the 80's. Their 80,000 feet record is a tad above the 1 meter done by the Swiss plane so far.
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/news/FactSheets/FS-054-DFRC.html
@jackleboul Dude the Tevetron has been up and running quite smoothly for quite some time, unlike the LHC which breaks down every week.
@LurkerX
This is a manned flight, which is different than the link you posted.
@jackleboul
Ummm, you do realize that America is highly invested in the HADRON . . . .
@Dr Yusuf AlKindi
Yes, an the next step will be banning all the religions from our country, so we can finally start doing some serious scientific progres without worrying what outdated and old books say.
I can't wait for the Solar Warp
I suppose it wouldn't be necessary to get licenced for night flying with those.
I remember the Solar Challenger flying from France to England on solar power back in 1981. There is nothing new under the sun.
@Barky Bravo, sir.
That dude in the background is a spy....
@Stereotype Totally a SPY
No Video ??
@Island
Sure there is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa-DPz0K1S0
There's a whole youtube channel dedicated to it.
@Chakotay NICE thanks
I'm givin er all she's got captain!
@Jake88 http://www.warp11.com/ra_lyrics_05.htm
The above probably isn't work safe.
This first flight does seem a bit cautious; especially since this plane is built almost like a glider. The higher they are, the safer they will be if they run into engine problems.
FAA Advisory Circular 90-89A covering first flights of amateur built aircraft in the US recommends initial test altitude of 3000 feet for the first flight.
"Boldly go where no man has gone before"? I think we are watching the wrong channel.
The author of this article needs to do much more research; there has been a host (flock?) of solar powered aircraft setting various records since 1979 (first manned solar powered flight). This aircraft is trying to beat the records set by the Sunseeker II for distance and altitude.
For perspective, the 1150 ft flight is almost 10 times as far as the first Kitty Hawk flights (though not as high).
Baby steps are the hallmark of thoughtful engineering, especially when expensive-ass prototypes are involved. Seeing the quick progression from runway tests to powered flight leads me to believe that further advancement will not be long in coming.
Captain's log, Stardate 41153.7. Our destination is Planet Deneb IV, beyond which lies the great unexplored mass of the galaxy. My orders are to examine Farpoint, a starbase built there by the inhabitants of that world. Meanwhile I’m becoming better acquainted with my new command – this Galaxy-class USS Enterprise. I’m still somewhat in awe of its size and complexity. As for my crew, we are short in several key positions, most notably a first officer. But I’m informed that a highly experienced man, one Commander William T. Riker will be waiting to join the ship at our Deneb IV destination.
Few seem to latch on to how fitting the # 5 remark ( "Since 1931, boldly going where no one has gone before" was :
*Auguste Piccard constructed the first pressure cabin in1931 , and set two altitude records around sixteen kiolomters that would last for a long time.
* Jeanette Piccard (married to his brother) held the female altitude record all the way to the first female cosmonaut , Valentina Cherovskaya.
* Auguste went from pressure cabins to deep sea vessels , finally reaching below 4000 meters in 1954.
*His son Jaques was on the craft the father had constructed , Trieste , on the dive to the worlds deepest end , the Challenger Deep in 1960.